The Cigna Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and related products and services in the United States. Its Evernorth Health Services segment provides a range of coordinated and point solution health services, including pharmacy benefits, home delivery pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, distribution, and care delivery and management solutions to health plans, employers, government organizations, and health care providers. The company's Cigna Healthcare segment offers medical, pharmacy, behavioral health, dental, and other products and services for insured and self-insured customers; Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Part D plans for seniors, as well as individual health insurance plans; and health care coverage in its international markets, as well as health care benefits for mobile individuals and employees of multinational organizations. In addition, it offers permanent insurance contracts sold to corporations to provide coverage on the lives of certain employees for financing employer-paid future benefit obligations. The company distributes its products and services through insurance brokers and consultants; directly to employers, unions and other groups, or individuals; and private and public exchanges. The company was formerly known as Cigna Corporation and changed its name to The Cigna Group in February 2023. The Cigna Group was founded in 1792 and is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

Компания The Cigna Group демонстрирует смешанную финансовую картину. С одной стороны, P/E, P/S и P/FCF значительно ниже медианных значений по отрасли, что указывает на потенциальную недооцененность акций. Однако, такие показатели как debt/equity ratio и текущий коэффициент далеко от средней по отрасли, что вызывает опасения по поводу долговой нагрузки и ликвидности. Несмотря на это, компания показывает впечатляющий рост выручки и чистой прибыли, что положительно сказывается на оценке. EPS и прогноз EPS значительно превышают медианные значения, что также является позитивным сигналом. Однако снижение текущего и быстрой ликвидности, наряду с отрицательными показателями рентабельности, такими как операционная и чистая маржа, делает оценку компании более сложной. В целом, слабые стороны компании в области ликвидности и долговой нагрузки могут негативно повлиять на ее оценку в краткосрочной перспективе, несмотря на сильные фундаментальные показатели роста.

The Cigna Group

The Cigna Group CI, a global health company, continues to offer a variety of health solutions and insurance products. It operates through two key segments — Cigna Healthcare, which provides medical, dental and international health plans to employers, individuals and governments, and Evernorth Health Services, which focuses on pharmacy solutions, care coordination and technology-driven services.
Cigna, based in Bloomfield, CT, has a market capitalization of $68.8 billion. The company’s shares have lost 3.4% year to date (YTD), outperforming the industry’s average 13.5% decline over the same period.
Its forward P/E ratio of 8.61x is also lower than the industry average of 13.45x, indicating relatively attractive valuation. Supported by solid prospects, Cigna currently holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and carries a Value Score of A.
Zacks Estimates for CI
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $30.29 per share, suggesting a 1.5% year-over-year increase. Over the past month, estimates have seen three upward revisions against one downward revision. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $284.4 billion, indicating 3.5% year-over-year growth.
Cigna beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 2.7%.
Cigna Group Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
CI’s Growth Drivers
CI’s 2025 adjusted income from operations rose 4% year over year, driven by strong growth in the Evernorth Health Services segment, particularly within Specialty and Care Services. The company expects adjusted operating income to reach at least $7.95 billion in 2026. Its Evernorth Health Services’ 2025 adjusted revenues increased 16% year over year to $235 billion.
Business mix shifts and ongoing digital transformation reduced the adjusted SG&A expense ratio to 5.0% in 2025. Evernorth Health Services introduced a transformative pharmacy benefits model that passes drug manufacturer discounts directly to customers at the point of sale, lowering out-of-pocket costs. Cigna Healthcare plans to adopt this model for its fully insured customers starting in 2027.
Cigna maintains a strong shareholder-value enhancement program. In 2025, the company repurchased 11.9 million shares for approximately $3.6 billion. The board increased the quarterly dividend to $1.56 per share in early 2026 from $1.51 in 2025, signaling confidence in its long-term cash flow.
CI: Risks to Watch
There are some factors that investors should keep an eye on.
The company’s total benefits and expenses escalated over the last several years due to higher pharmacy and other service costs, medical costs and other benefit expenses. Total benefits and expenses witnessed a year-over-year increase of 27% in 2024, and 12% in 2025. The persistent escalation of expenses might weigh on its margin growth. In 2025, the medical cost ratio deteriorated 120 bps year over year to 84.4%, indicating slightly higher medical costs compared to premium revenues.
Cigna has been grappling with a significant debt level over the past several years. At the end of 2025, it had a long-term debt of $30.9 billion, significantly higher than the cash balance of $7.7 billion. The elevated leverage level is likely to keep pressure on the company’s interest expenses going forward.
Key Picks
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Medical space are Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CPRX, Enovis Corporation ENOV and USANA Health Sciences, Inc. USNA, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Catalyst Pharmaceutical’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.82 per share, which has witnessed three upward revisions in the past 30 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. CPRX beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 35.2%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $630.3 million, implying 7% year-over-year growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Enovis’ 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.44 per share, which has witnessed one upward revisions in the past 30 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. ENOV beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 11.4%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $2.3 billion, implying 4.3% year-over-year growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for USANA Health’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2 per share, which has witnessed one upward revision in the past 30 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. USNA beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 21.9%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pinned at $942.4 million, implying 1.9% year-over-year growth.
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Cigna Stock Trades Below Industry P/E: Is It Worth Holding Now?

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – March 12, 2026 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Universal Health Services, Inc. UHS. Despite these hurdles, HMO companies like UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH, The Cigna Group CI, Humana Inc. HUM and Centene Corp. CNC
Industry: HMO
Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2882336/4-hmo-stocks-to-watch-despite-escalating-costs-nursing-shortage
The U.S. health insurance industry, referred to as Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), is leveraging technological innovation and pursuing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to expand capabilities, enter new markets and broaden its member base. With the Federal Reserve implementing three interest rate cuts in 2025 and borrowing costs expected to remain relatively lower, insurers may find it easier to finance acquisitions, potentially supporting further industry consolidation. However, regulatory changes could tighten Medicaid eligibility and reduce ACA enrollment, affecting membership and reimbursements.
Medical expenses are rising due to the return of deferred care, increased chronic disease management and surging costs of specialty drugs like biologics and cancer therapies. Such rising costs are also weighing on companies across other industries of the broader Zacks Medical sector, such as Universal Health Services, Inc.. Despite these hurdles, HMO companies like UnitedHealth Group Inc., The Cigna Group, Humana Inc. and Centene Corp. appear well-placed to counter industry headwinds.
About the Industry
The Zacks HMO industry consists of entities (either private or public) that take care of subscribers’ basic and supplemental health services. Companies in this space primarily assume risks and assign premiums to health and medical insurance policies. Industry participants also provide administrative and managed-care services for self-funded insurance.
Services are generally offered by a network of approved care providers (called in-network), which include primary care physicians, clinical facilities, hospitals and specialists. However, out-of-network exceptions are made during emergencies or when necessary. Health insurance plans can be availed through private purchases, social insurance or social welfare programs.
4 Trends Defining the HMO Industry's Future
Escalating Medical Expenses: Healthcare costs for U.S. health insurers are increasing due to several factors. The resumption of previously delayed medical procedures, along with greater demand for routine screenings and chronic disease management, has led to increased healthcare utilization and a rise in insurance claims. The growing use of expensive prescription drugs has also contributed to higher spending.
In addition, demographic shifts, such as a rapidly aging population, are increasing demand for healthcare services. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular conditions further adds to long-term treatment costs. As a result, the Health Benefit Ratio (a key measure of insurer profitability) has come under strain, leading to tighter profit margins.
Regulatory Hurdles: Health insurers in the domestic market are navigating a period of heightened regulatory uncertainty. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act aims to make significant changes to healthcare programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. The changes incorporate new Medicaid work requirements, stricter eligibility checks and reduced federal funding for some safety-net programs.
The tighter eligibility and lack of subsidy extensions mean a drop in enrollment for insurers. Health insurers are under pressure, as lower Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements could strain already narrow margins. Because commercial insurance products generally generate higher margins than Medicaid or ACA plans, insurers are increasingly focusing on expanding their commercial offerings. Nevertheless, the expected Medicare Advantage rate increases in 2026 could offer some relief.
Scarcity of Healthcare Professionals: The ongoing nationwide shortage of nurses and other healthcare professionals continues to strain hospital operations, especially as patient volumes rise. An aging nursing workforce, increasing levels of burnout and an uneven distribution of healthcare staff across regions have collectively contributed to the shortage. HMOs work closely with hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure their members receive efficient and cost-effective care.
The consistency and quality of these services are crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and encouraging the renewal of health plans. However, a declining nursing workforce may hinder hospitals’ ability to provide high-quality care, which can ultimately affect customer retention for HMO providers.
Strategic Emphasis on M&A: Alongside adopting technological innovations, HMOs often pursue mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to broaden their capabilities, enter new markets, strengthen their position in existing regions, expand their member base and enhance their nationwide presence. These strategic initiatives also support diversification, helping companies sustain a competitive advantage over peers.
With the Federal Reserve implementing three interest rate cuts in 2025, chances remain of further rate hikes in 2026. This means that borrowing costs are expected to decline, which, in turn, is likely to fuel M&A activity as industry participants can access financing at lower costs.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bearish Outlook
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all member stocks, indicates tepid near-term prospects. The Zacks Medical-HMOs industry is housed within the broader Zacks Medical sector. It currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #224, which places it in the bottom 8% of 243 Zacks industries.
Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one. The industry’s positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of the negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate.
Despite the dismal scenario, we will present a few stocks that one can retain, given their solid growth endeavors. But before that, it is worth looking at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and the valuation picture.
Industry Underperforms S&P 500, Sector
The Zacks Medical-HMO industry has declined 35.6% in the past year against the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s 24.4% growth. The Zacks Medical sector inched up 1.6% in the same time frame.
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing medical stocks, the industry is trading at 13.71X compared with the S&P 500’s 22.01X and the sector’s 20.66X.
In the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 19.57X and as low as 11.58X, the median being 16.19X.
4 Stocks to Watch
We present four stocks from the space with a current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Considering the present industry scenario, it might be prudent for investors to retain these stocks in their portfolios, as these are well-placed to generate growth in the long haul.
UnitedHealth Group: Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group’s revenue growth is supported by the strong performance of its UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments. The UnitedHealthcare division continues to benefit from enhanced Medicare and Medicaid offerings that combine affordability with appealing benefits, helping to expand its membership base and increase premium revenues. Optum’s expansion is driven by strategic acquisitions, the use of advanced technology and data-driven healthcare models.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $17.70 per share, which implies 8.3% growth from the year-ago figure. UNH’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed the mark twice, the average negative surprise being 2.38%.
Cigna: Based in Connecticut, the company continues to thrive on the solid performance of its two growth platforms—Evernorth and Cigna Healthcare. Evernorth is strengthened by its extensive range of specialty pharmacy solutions, while Cigna Healthcare benefits from a wide customer base across its U.S. Government and U.S. Commercial divisions. The health insurer broadens its product portfolio and accelerates growth through strategic acquisitions and collaborations.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cigna’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $30.29 per share, indicating 1.5% growth from the prior-year figure. CI’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 2.67%.
Humana:Headquartered in Kentucky, Humana has achieved consistent growth, supported by higher premium revenues and a strong membership base across its Medicare and Medicaid businesses. The solid performance of these plans has enabled the company to secure several new contracts and renew existing agreements with federal and state agencies. Through its CenterWell brand, Humana remains focused on addressing the healthcare needs of the country’s aging population. In addition, the company has undertaken strategic acquisitions, including Family Physicians Group, iCare and Inclusa.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Humana’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $9.82 per share. The consensus mark for 2026 revenues implies 22.8% growth from the 2025 figure. HUM’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once, the average being 6.96%.
Centene: Missouri-based Centene’s revenue growth is driven by strong performance in its Medicare and Medicaid businesses, contributing to increased contract wins and expanding membership. The ongoing inclination for Medicare Advantage plans among the aging U.S. population continues to fuel consistent demand for Centene’s Medicare offerings. The company pursues an inorganic growth strategy and enters into strategic acquisitions and partnerships with healthcare providers to broaden its capabilities, diversify its service portfolio and reinforce its presence across the country.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Centene’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.01 per share, which indicates a 44.7% rise from the year-ago figure. CNC’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once, the average being 60.56%.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights UnitedHealth, The Cigna, Humana and Centene

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Global Healthcare ETF (Symbol: IXJ) where we have detected an approximate $174.0 million dollar outflow -- that's a 4.4% decrease week over week (from 41,250,000 to 39,450,000). Among the largest underlying components of IXJ, in trading today McKesson Corp (Symbol: MCK) is trading flat, The Cigna Group (Symbol: CI) is down about 1.3%, and Cencora Inc (Symbol: COR) is lower by about 0.5%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IXJ Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IXJ, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IXJ's low point in its 52 week range is $80.681 per share, with $101.78 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $96.14. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding GRNI
KTOS YTD Return
IBKR Historical Stock Prices
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

iShares Global Healthcare ETF Experiences Big Outflow

The U.S. health insurance industry, referred to as Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), is leveraging technological innovation and pursuing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to expand capabilities, enter new markets and broaden its member base. With the Federal Reserve implementing three interest rate cuts in 2025 and borrowing costs expected to remain relatively lower, insurers may find it easier to finance acquisitions, potentially supporting further industry consolidation. However, regulatory changes could tighten Medicaid eligibility and reduce ACA enrollment, affecting membership and reimbursements.
Medical expenses are rising due to the return of deferred care, increased chronic disease management and surging costs of specialty drugs like biologics and cancer therapies. Such rising costs are also weighing on companies across other industries of the broader Zacks Medical sector, such as Universal Health Services, Inc. UHS. Despite these hurdles, HMO companies like UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH, The Cigna Group CI, Humana Inc. HUM and Centene Corporation CNC appear well-placed to counter industry headwinds.
About the Industry
The Zacks HMO industry consists of entities (either private or public) that take care of subscribers’ basic and supplemental health services. Companies in this space primarily assume risks and assign premiums to health and medical insurance policies. Industry participants also provide administrative and managed-care services for self-funded insurance. Services are generally offered by a network of approved care providers (called in-network), which include primary care physicians, clinical facilities, hospitals and specialists. However, out-of-network exceptions are made during emergencies or when necessary. Health insurance plans can be availed through private purchases, social insurance or social welfare programs.
4 Trends Defining the HMO Industry's Future
Escalating Medical Expenses: Healthcare costs for U.S. health insurers are increasing due to several factors. The resumption of previously delayed medical procedures, along with greater demand for routine screenings and chronic disease management, has led to increased healthcare utilization and a rise in insurance claims. The growing use of expensive prescription drugs has also contributed to higher spending. In addition, demographic shifts, such as a rapidly aging population, are increasing demand for healthcare services. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular conditions further adds to long-term treatment costs. As a result, the Health Benefit Ratio (a key measure of insurer profitability) has come under strain, leading to tighter profit margins.
Regulatory Hurdles: Health insurers in the domestic market are navigating a period of heightened regulatory uncertainty. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act aims to make significant changes to healthcare programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. The changes incorporate new Medicaid work requirements, stricter eligibility checks and reduced federal funding for some safety-net programs. The tighter eligibility and lack of subsidy extensions mean a drop in enrollment for insurers. Health insurers are under pressure, as lower Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements could strain already narrow margins. Because commercial insurance products generally generate higher margins than Medicaid or ACA plans, insurers are increasingly focusing on expanding their commercial offerings. Nevertheless, the expected Medicare Advantage rate increases in 2026 could offer some relief.
Scarcity of Healthcare Professionals: The ongoing nationwide shortage of nurses and other healthcare professionals continues to strain hospital operations, especially as patient volumes rise. An aging nursing workforce, increasing levels of burnout and an uneven distribution of healthcare staff across regions have collectively contributed to the shortage. HMOs work closely with hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure their members receive efficient and cost-effective care. The consistency and quality of these services are crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and encouraging the renewal of health plans. However, a declining nursing workforce may hinder hospitals’ ability to provide high-quality care, which can ultimately affect customer retention for HMO providers.
Strategic Emphasis on M&A: Alongside adopting technological innovations, HMOs often pursue mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to broaden their capabilities, enter new markets, strengthen their position in existing regions, expand their member base and enhance their nationwide presence. These strategic initiatives also support diversification, helping companies sustain a competitive advantage over peers. With the Federal Reserve implementing three interest rate cuts in 2025, chances remain of further rate hikes in 2026. This means that borrowing costs are expected to decline, which, in turn, is likely to fuel M&A activity as industry participants can access financing at lower costs.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bearish Outlook
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all member stocks, indicates tepid near-term prospects. The Zacks Medical-HMOs industry is housed within the broader Zacks Medical sector. It currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #224, which places it in the bottom 8% of 243 Zacks industries.
Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one. The industry’s positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of the negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate.
Despite the dismal scenario, we will present a few stocks that one can retain, given their solid growth endeavors. But before that, it is worth looking at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and the valuation picture.
Industry Underperforms S&P 500, Sector
The Zacks Medical-HMO industry has declined 35.6% in the past year against the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s 24.4% growth. The Zacks Medical sector inched up 1.6% in the same time frame.
One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing medical stocks, the industry is trading at 13.71X compared with the S&P 500’s 22.01X and the sector’s 20.66X.
In the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 19.57X and as low as 11.58X, the median being 16.19X, as the chart below shows.
Forward 12-Month Price/Earnings (P/E) Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
4 Stocks to Watch
We present four stocks from the space with a current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Considering the present industry scenario, it might be prudent for investors to retain these stocks in their portfolios, as these are well-placed to generate growth in the long haul.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
UnitedHealth Group: Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group’s revenue growth is supported by the strong performance of its UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments. The UnitedHealthcare division continues to benefit from enhanced Medicare and Medicaid offerings that combine affordability with appealing benefits, helping to expand its membership base and increase premium revenues. Optum’s expansion is driven by strategic acquisitions, the use of advanced technology and data-driven healthcare models.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $17.70 per share, which implies 8.3% growth from the year-ago figure. UNH’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed the mark twice, the average negative surprise being 2.38%.
Price & Consensus: UNH
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Cigna: Based in Connecticut, the company continues to thrive on the solid performance of its two growth platforms—Evernorth and Cigna Healthcare. Evernorth is strengthened by its extensive range of specialty pharmacy solutions, while Cigna Healthcare benefits from a wide customer base across its U.S. Government and U.S. Commercial divisions. The health insurer broadens its product portfolio and accelerates growth through strategic acquisitions and collaborations.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cigna’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $30.29 per share, indicating 1.5% growth from the prior-year figure. CI’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 2.67%.
Price & Consensus: CI
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Humana: Headquartered in Kentucky, Humana has achieved consistent growth, supported by higher premium revenues and a strong membership base across its Medicare and Medicaid businesses. The solid performance of these plans has enabled the company to secure several new contracts and renew existing agreements with federal and state agencies. Through its CenterWell brand, Humana remains focused on addressing the healthcare needs of the country’s aging population. In addition, the company has undertaken strategic acquisitions, including Family Physicians Group, iCare and Inclusa.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Humana’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $9.82 per share. The consensus mark for 2026 revenues implies 22.8% growth from the 2025 figure. HUM’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once, the average being 6.96%.
Price & Consensus: HUM
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Centene: Missouri-based Centene’s revenue growth is driven by strong performance in its Medicare and Medicaid businesses, contributing to increased contract wins and expanding membership. The ongoing inclination for Medicare Advantage plans among the aging U.S. population continues to fuel consistent demand for Centene’s Medicare offerings. The company pursues an inorganic growth strategy and enters into strategic acquisitions and partnerships with healthcare providers to broaden its capabilities, diversify its service portfolio and reinforce its presence across the country.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Centene’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.01 per share, which indicates a 44.7% rise from the year-ago figure. CNC’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once, the average being 60.56%.
Price & Consensus: CNC
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
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4 HMO Stocks to Watch Despite Escalating Costs, Nursing Shortage

(RTTNews) - The Cigna Group (CI) announced on Tuesday that David Cordani will retire as chief executive officer effective July 1, 2026, and transition to executive chair of the Board. Brian Evanko, currently president and chief operating officer, will succeed Cordani as CEO.
Evanko, who oversees the company's businesses across Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services, has held senior leadership roles including president and CEO of Cigna Healthcare and chief financial officer.
The leadership transition will take effect July 1, 2026, with Cordani and Evanko working closely during the interim period.
The company also reaffirmed its 2026 outlook, projecting consolidated adjusted income from operations of at least $30.25 per share. It expects Evernorth pre-tax adjusted income from operations of at least $6.9 billion and Cigna Healthcare pre-tax adjusted income from operations of at least $4.5 billion.
CI is currently trading at $276.70 down $14.15 or 4.87 percent on the New York Stock Exchange.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Cigna Group CEO David Cordani To Retire, Brian Evanko To Succeed; Reaffirms FY26 Outlook

Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on 3/5/26, Eversource Energy (Symbol: ES), The Cigna Group (Symbol: CI), and American Assets Trust Inc (Symbol: AAT) will all trade ex-dividend for their respective upcoming dividends. Eversource Energy will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.7875 on 3/31/26, The Cigna Group will pay its quarterly dividend of $1.56 on 3/19/26, and American Assets Trust Inc will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.34 on 3/19/26. As a percentage of ES's recent stock price of $74.42, this dividend works out to approximately 1.06%, so look for shares of Eversource Energy to trade 1.06% lower — all else being equal — when ES shares open for trading on 3/5/26. Similarly, investors should look for CI to open 0.54% lower in price and for AAT to open 1.73% lower, all else being equal.
Below are dividend history charts for ES, CI, and AAT, showing historical dividends prior to the most recent ones declared.
Eversource Energy (Symbol: ES):
The Cigna Group (Symbol: CI):
American Assets Trust Inc (Symbol: AAT):
In general, dividends are not always predictable, following the ups and downs of company profits over time. Therefore, a good first due diligence step in forming an expectation of annual yield going forward, is looking at the history above, for a sense of stability over time. This can help in judging whether the most recent dividends from these companies are likely to continue. If they do continue, the current estimated yields on annualized basis would be 4.23% for Eversource Energy, 2.15% for The Cigna Group, and 6.92% for American Assets Trust Inc.
In Tuesday trading, Eversource Energy shares are currently down about 2.4%, The Cigna Group shares are up about 0.3%, and American Assets Trust Inc shares are up about 0.7% on the day.
Click here to learn which 25 S.A.F.E. dividend stocks should be on your radar screen »
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Ex-Dividend Reminder: Eversource Energy, The Cigna Group and American Assets Trust

Select Medical Holdings Corporation SEM reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 16 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 31.6%. The bottom line declined 11.1% year over year.
Net operating revenues advanced 6.4% year over year to $1.4 billion. The top line beat the consensus mark by 2.6%.
The quarterly earnings suffered due to an elevated expense level, a decline in patient days exerted pressure on profitability in the Critical Illness Recovery Hospital segment and lower revenue per visit did the same for the Outpatient Rehabilitation unit. However, the downside was partially offset by solid revenue growth in the Rehabilitation Hospital segment, driven by higher admissions and improved occupancy.
Select Medical Holdings Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Select Medical Holdings Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Select Medical Holdings Corporation Quote
Select Medical’s Q4 Performance
Total costs and expenses were $1.3 billion, which increased 3.2% year over year and came higher than our estimate by 3.9%. The year-over-year rise was due to higher costs of services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization.
Adjusted EBITDA declined 9.8% year over year to $104.7 million and missed our estimate of $126.7 million.
Select Medical’s Segmental Update
Critical Illness Recovery Hospital
The segment recorded revenues of $629.7 million in the fourth quarter, which grew 4.9% year over year, and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our estimate of $613.3 million. The unit benefited on the back of a 3% year-over-year increase in admissions and a 5.9% rise in revenue per patient day. Patient days slipped 1% year over year. The occupancy rate remained flat year over year at 67%.
Adjusted EBITDA advanced 5.3% year over year to $66.4 million but fell short of the consensus mark and our estimate of $106.1 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.5% remained constant year over year.
Rehabilitation Hospital
The unit’s revenues rose 15.2% year over year to $339.2 million, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our estimate of $326.9 million. The favorable performance stemmed from year-over-year increases of 9.6% and 9.8%, respectively, in admissions and patient days. The occupancy rate was 82%, which improved 120 bps year over year in the quarter under review.
Adjusted EBITDA improved 11.1% year over year to $69.2 million, which beat the consensus mark and our estimate of $35.1 million. However, the adjusted EBITDA margin of 20.4% deteriorated 80 bps year over year.
Outpatient Rehabilitation
Revenues totaled $324.6 million in the segment, which rose 1.6% year over year, and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our estimate of $318.1 million. The unit’s performance was aided by a 4.9% year-over-year increase in visits. Revenue per visit dipped 3.9% year over year.
Adjusted EBITDA tumbled 57.9% year over year to $11.2 million and lagged the consensus mark and our estimate of $41.4 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin of 3.4% deteriorated 490 bps year over year.
Select Medical’s Financial Position (As of Dec. 31, 2025)
Select Medical exited the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $26.5 million, which fell 55.6% from the 2024-end level.
Total assets of $5.9 billion increased 4.3% from the 2024-end figure.
Long-term debt, net of the current portion, amounted to $1.8 billion, up 6.6% from the figure as of Dec. 31, 2024.
Total equity of $2 billion inched up 1.5% from the 2024-end level.
Select Medical generated net cash from operations of $64.3 million in the reported quarter, which fell 48.7% year over year.
Select Medical’s Share Repurchase & Dividend Update
Select Medical bought back shares worth around $96.5 million in 2025.
On Feb. 12, 2026, management approved a cash dividend of 6.25 cents per share, which will be paid out on March 12 to its shareholders of record as of March 2.
Select Medical’s 2026 Outlook
Management expects revenues within $5.6-$5.8 billion, the mid-point of which represents a 3.6% increase from the 2025 figure.
Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $520 million and $540 million. EPS is anticipated to be within $1.22-$1.32.
Interest expense is projected to be at $118 million, while depreciation and amortization is estimated at $146 million.
SEM’s Zacks Rank
SEM currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
How Did Peers Perform?
Several companies in the Medical space, including The Cigna Group CI, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH and Elevance Health, Inc. ELV, have already reported their financial results for the December quarter of 2025. Here’s how they had performed:
Cigna reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $8.08, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%. The bottom line advanced 22% year over year. The results benefited on the back of strong results from its Evernorth Health Services segment, driven by new business and client relationship expansion, Pharmacy Benefit Services’ strength and improved specialty volumes. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Cigna’s medical customers following divestitures to Health Care Services Corporation and an elevated expense level.
UnitedHealth reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.11, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09. However, the bottom line fell 69% from the year-ago period. The earnings were aided by growth in commercial fee-based membership and the strength witnessed in Optum Rx. However, UnitedHealth’s elevated medical costs and declining risk-based membership partially offset the positives.
Elevance reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $3.33, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.3%. The bottom line rose 3.1% year over year. The earnings benefited on the back of strong growth in premiums. Segment-wise, the Carelon division posted a robust revenue surge, aided by buyout and scaling risk-based services, while Health Benefits saw increased premium yields and Medicare Advantage membership growth. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Elevance’s overall medical membership and an elevated expense level.
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Select Medical Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates on Increasing Expenses

Humana Inc. HUM incurred a fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted loss of $3.96 per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $4.01 per share but wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $2.16 per share.
Adjusted revenues improved 11.8% year over year to $32.6 billion. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by 2.4%.
The quarterly results benefited on the back of premium gains and a robust performance from the CenterWell segment, which saw a revenue jump supported by its pharmacy and primary care businesses. However, the upside was partly offset by escalating operating expenses, a sharp drop in investment income and a decline in overall medical membership.
Humana Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Q4 Operational Update
Humana’s premiums totaled $30.9 billion, which advanced 11.3% year over year, and came higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $30.2 billion and our estimate of $29.8 billion. Services revenues rose 28.6% year over year to $1.5 billion, higher than the consensus mark of $1.4 billion. Investment income of $132 million plunged 55.6% year over year in the quarter under review. The metric lagged the consensus mark of $273 million and our estimate of $295.7 million.
The benefit ratio came in at 93%, which deteriorated 150 basis points (bps) year over year. Total operating expenses increased 12% year over year to $33.3 billion, higher than our estimate of $31.8 billion. The year-over-year increase was due to higher benefits and operating costs. Adjusted operating cost ratio of 13% improved 20 bps year over year.
Humana incurred a net loss of $776 million, wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $683 million.
Q4 Segmental Update
Insurance
The segment’s adjusted revenues rose 11.3% year over year to $31.3 billion in the fourth quarter on the back of improved per-member premiums derived from HUM’s Medicare and state-based contract businesses. An expanding customer base in stand-alone prescription drug plans also drove the performance.
The unit incurred an adjusted operating loss of $923 million, wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $575 million. The adjusted benefit ratio deteriorated 120 bps year over year to 93.1%. Adjusted operating cost ratio of 10.8% improved 20 bps year over year.
Total medical membership of the segment was 15 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, which fell 8.2% year over year. The metric fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 15.1 million and our estimate of 15.2 million.
CenterWell
The unit recorded revenues of $6 billion in the quarter under review, which improved 16.2% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.5 billion. The metric benefited from higher revenues stemming from the company’s pharmacy and primary care businesses.
Adjusted operating income dropped 10.4% year over year to $345 million. The operating cost ratio of 94.2% deteriorated 170 bps year over year due to the ongoing implementation of the v28 risk model update within the company’s primary care business and higher volumes in CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy.
Humana’s Financial Update (As of Dec. 31, 2025)
Humana exited the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $4.2 billion, which soared 89.1% from the 2024-end level. Total assets of $48.9 billion increased 5.2% from the figure at 2024-end.
Long-term debt amounted to $12.4 billion, up 11% from the figure as of Dec. 31, 2024. Debt to capitalization improved 80 bps year over year to 41.1% at the fourth-quarter end.
Total stockholders’ equity of $17.7 billion advanced 7.8% from the 2024-end figure.
HUM generated net cash from operations of $921 million in 2025, which plunged 68.9% from the 2024 figure.
HUM’s Capital Deployment Update
Humana bought back shares worth $151 million in 2025. It also paid dividends of $430 million during 2025.
Full-Year Update
Adjusted revenues of $129.8 billion grew 10.7% year over year in 2025. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose 5.7% year over year to $17.14.
Premiums of $122.8 billion improved 9.6% year over year. The benefit ratio came in at 90.2% for 2025, which deteriorated 40 bps year over year.
2026 View
Revenues are estimated to be a minimum of $160 billion, which implies an 23.4% increase from the 2025 reported figure. The Insurance segment’s revenues are forecasted at a minimum of $155 billion. Revenues of the CenterWell segment are expected to be at a minimum of $25 billion.
Adjusted EPS is projected to be at least $9.00, which indicates a 47.5% decline from the 2025 figure. GAAP EPS is projected to be at least $8.89.
Management anticipates Individual Medicare Advantage membership to witness growth of around 25% in 2026. Group Medicare Advantage membership is expected to record an increase of roughly 150,000.
Membership from the Individual Medicare stand-alone PDP is expected to increase around 1,000,000 this year. State-based contracts are expected to witness membership growth within 25,000-100,000.
The GAAP benefit ratio for the Insurance segment is likely to be 92.75%, with a variability margin of plus or minus 25 basis points. The GAAP consolidated adjusted operating cost ratio is anticipated to be at 10%, with a variability margin of plus or minus 25 basis points.
GAAP cash flow from operations is estimated within $2.5-$2.9 billion. Meanwhile, capital expenditures are projected to be roughly $650 million. The adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be around 25.5% while the weighted average share count is anticipated at around 121 million.
Humana’s Zacks Rank
Humana currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Other Medical Sector Releases
Of the Medical sector players that have reported fourth-quarter 2025 results so far, the bottom-line results of Encompass Health Corporation EHC, The Cigna Group CI and The Ensign Group, Inc. ENSG beat the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Encompass Health reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.46, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.2%. The bottom line increased 24.8% year over year. Net operating revenues of $1.5 billion improved 9.9% year over year. The top line marginally beat the consensus mark by 0.2%. EHC’s net patient revenue per discharge rose 4.1% year over year.
Total discharges grew 5.3% year over year to 67,238. Net income climbed 23.7% year over year to $203.1 million in the fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA of $335.6 million grew 15.9% year over year. In the fourth quarter, Encompass Health added 37 beds to its existing hospitals and inaugurated three de novo hospitals.
Cigna’s fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $8.08 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%. The bottom line advanced 22% year over year. Adjusted revenues of $72.5 billion rose 10% year over year. The top line beat the consensus mark by 3.7%. Cigna’s medical customer base came in at 18.1 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, which declined 5.4% year over year. The adjusted SG&A expense ratio of 4.7% improved 100 bps year over year.
Adjusted income from operations totaled $2.1 billion, which rose 16% year over year. The Evernorth Health Services unit recorded revenues of $63.1 billion in the fourth quarter, which advanced 17% year over year. Adjusted operating income, on a pre-tax basis, rose 2% year over year to $2.2 billion. The Cigna Healthcare segment’s revenues of $11.1 billion tumbled 16% year over year. MCR came in at 88% at the fourth-quarter end, which deteriorated 10 bps year over year.
Ensign Group reported a fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.82, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4%. The bottom line improved 19.5% year over year. Operating revenues advanced 20.2% year over year to $1.36 billion. The top line missed the consensus mark by 0.5%. Ensign Group’s adjusted net income of $107.8 million rose 23.2% year over year in the quarter under review.
Same-facilities occupancy improved 240 bps to 83.8%, while transitioning-facilities occupancy increased 290 bps year over year to 84.9%. The Skilled Services segment’s revenues were $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter, which grew 20.2% year over year. Skilled nursing facilities and campus operations of the segment totaled 326 and 31, respectively, at the quarter-end. In the Standard Bearer unit, rental revenues climbed 37.2% year over year to $34.5 million.
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Humana Incurs Q4 Loss, Revenues Up Y/Y on CenterWell Unit Strength

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores?
The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value Score
Value investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth Score
While good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum Score
Momentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM Score
If you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank
The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Cigna (CI)
Headquartered in Bloomfield, CT and formed in 1982, Cigna Corporation has rebranded itself as The Cigna Group. The company was formed as a result of a merger between Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and Insurance Company of North America. Cigna completed its combination with Express Scripts Holding Company by 2018-end. Shares of the new combined company trade on the NYSE under the stock ticker symbol “CI.”
CI is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 9.68; value investors should take notice.
For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.05 to $30.41 per share. CI boasts an average earnings surprise of +2.7%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CI should be on investors' short list.
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Cigna (CI) is a Top-Ranked Value Stock: Should You Buy?

In this series, we look through the most recent Dividend Channel ''DividendRank'' report, and then we cherry pick only those companies that have experienced insider buying within the past six months. The officers and directors of a company tend to have a unique insider's view of the business, and presumably the only reason an insider would choose to take their hard-earned cash and use it to buy stock in the open market, is that they expect to make money — maybe they find the stock very undervalued, or maybe they see exciting progress within the company, or maybe both. So when stocks turn up that see insider buying, and are also top ranked, investors are wise to take notice. One such company is The Cigna Group (Symbol: CI), which saw buying by CEO David Cordani.
Back on November 3, Cordani invested $999,916.21 into 4,134 shares of CI, for a cost per share of $241.88. In trading on Monday, shares were changing hands as low as $288.70 per share, which is 19.4% above Cordani's purchase price. It should be noted that Cordani has collected $1.51/share in dividends since the time of their purchase, so they are currently up 20.0% on their purchase from a total return basis. The Cigna Group shares are currently trading +0.34% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of CI shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, CI's low point in its 52 week range is $239.51 per share, with $350 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $293.38. By comparison, below is a table showing the prices at which insider buying was recorded over the last six months:
Purchased
Insider
Title
Shares
Price/Share
Value
11/03/2025
David Cordani
Chairman & CEO
4,134
$241.88
$999,916.21
The DividendRank report noted that among the coverage universe, CI shares displayed both attractive valuation metrics and strong profitability metrics. The report also cited the strong quarterly dividend history at The Cigna Group, and favorable long-term multi-year growth rates in key fundamental data points.
The report stated, ''Dividend investors approaching investing from a value standpoint are generally most interested in researching the strongest most profitable companies, that also happen to be trading at an attractive valuation. That's what we aim to find using our proprietary DividendRank formula, which ranks the coverage universe based upon our various criteria for both profitability and valuation, to generate a list of the top most 'interesting' stocks, meant for investors as a source of ideas that merit further research.''
The annualized dividend paid by The Cigna Group is $6.24/share, currently paid in quarterly installments, and its most recent dividend ex-date was on 03/05/2026. Below is a long-term dividend history chart for CI, which the report stressed as being of key importance. Indeed, studying a company's past dividend history can be of good help in judging whether the most recent dividend is likely to continue.
Also see:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Cigna Group

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